PAC formed to support Schertz bond issue

Published 12:00 am, Thursday, September 16, 2010

A political action committee has been formed to drum up support for the $22.4 million bond package going before Schertz voters in November.

The Schertz Betterment Committee has been formed by a couple of bond supporters, whose task is to convince voters to go to the polls Nov. 2 and support each of the six bond propositions on the ballot.

The Schertz City Council in August approved putting the bond issue before residents. The bond package would consist of several quality of life projects, from an Olympic-size swimming pool to athletic fields and an open-air events pavilion.

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Yolanda Suarez, an advocate for the community swimming pool that would be built next to the Schertz Recreation Center, said the goal of the newly formed committee is to educate voters about the benefits of the bond. The pool is part of Proposition 1, which also includes Playscape improvements.

“It is our mission to disseminate information on all six propositions equally,” Suarez said, “and to provide useful information to the voters on things that may not be commonly known (about the bond). Once we do that all we can do is let the voters decide on which, if any, facilities get built and what services will be offered.”

Suarez admits the committee will have a tough task ahead of them, as residents maybe watching their pennies because of worries over the economy and increasing property taxes. Last week the Schertz City Council approved a 1.5-cent tax rate hike, with the average homeowner paying $24 more in city property taxes.

If voters were to approve all six propositions, homeowners would pay $75.53 more in taxes per year, based on a home valued at $100,000.

Suarez, who was a member of the blue-ribbon committee that recommended a bond election be held, said the projects included in the bond were done so with community support from a June survey of 356 residents.

“The indications we have seen from the survey and from the parents is that they are interested in these projects,” she said. “We have come this far because of the interest that was expressed (in the survey).”

The bond propositions on the ballot include: funding for renovating the city's existing animal shelter and construction of a 12,000 square-foot adoption and vaccination center and dog park; improvements for Schertz downtown revitalization; a fine arts and history center; a 5,000-seat open-air events pavilion; and new fields, concession, parking and restroom improvements for the Schertz soccer complex and the baseball complex behind City Hall.